snow

Beautiful orbs, how did you do the flowers?

I did poke refief holes in that candle. How many times do you poke?

Hot orange danish is awesome, love it and so do my customers! I also love NG!

I'm telling you....that insulated box worked like a miracle for me. The heat from the jars keep it warm a long time, they cool nice and slow and NO wet spots. Every now and then, maybe one but I can live with that. Mine were so ugly with all those wet spots I couldn't take it, I was willing to try anything and I was so glad that I tried this trick. I can't remember who it was on here that told me that, but thank you, thank you! Give it a try!

The best way is to just do it! I just started making them, only did 2 so far. Get a general idea and dive in. That way you get to see how it works and what the wax can do. I kept reading and looking and asking, but until I tried one, I didnt totally undeerstand what was going on. They're fun, not that I have it down yet. Have fun!

Well, since this candle was just a tester, I took off the loose part and in one spot under there the candle itself had a dent in it. Like the core of the candle was just dented in and so the frosted part could not stick to it. I don't have a clue why that was, does anyone? It surprised me to see it. I'm burning it now and it smells awesome! But GL fireplace is one of my favorite scents and a good seller. Thanks so much for all your help everyone. I'm gonna keep on practicing until I get it right!

Thats good to know! However, this one will be just for me because I haven't figured out a good wick yet. Wanna get the rustic look down first. But maybe I'll play with the heat gun on it later. I really liked how the good part looks, to bad it had to have a bad spot, but sxxx happens and after all its only my second attempt. Like I said its the last layer or two that is giving me problems, my first one kinda did the same thing. I cooled the mold with a cool rag towards the end, someone said to do that. Maybe thats causing it, I'm probably not doing it right. Obviously, lol. Thanks for your advice!

No, I'm not good at posting pics, did you see the good one? Are they both on here?

I posted 2 pics in the gallery to show you what I mean. One of the good side and one of the bad side. Take a look please!

The rest of the candle is pretty good! Its scented Fireplace, but that spot is horrible and more of it is going to come off. DARN!!!

Maybe this will work

Couldnt get the other one to post, I'll try again

I'm going to try to post a pic of the good side and then show the problem spot. Hope this works! Let me know, TIA

I'm going to the gallery now to try to post a pic, take a look if you have time. I poke refeif holes, its that last layer giving me problems. Maybe my wax got to cool.

Do you tilt the mold and add the wax all the way to the bottom? You'll see what I mean when I post the pic, right now gotta take my mom to the Dr.

I made another one last night, left it in the mold all night and it unmolded beautiffly. I'll post a pic later. The problem is...there is one place on the candle where like the outer layer didn't stick to the candle core. I touched it and a piece of it fell off and you can see a space between it, what causes that? The rest of it is good. My first one did that too but I thought the fridge caused it, but no fridge this time, and it slid out of the mold real easy. It would be the part of the candle that is poured last as it sits in the mold. Any advice? TIA

I DO love CT, I used a wick pin, do any of you? Now when you use SB can you put that wick in afterwards? Thanks Donita!

I like it very much! I'm gonna try another one today...NO FRIDGE

I used J50 for most of my candle making career, which isn't that long. I recently switched to GL70/30. I like both of those waxes...J50 has more wet spots but a great scent throw. The 70./30 is easy to work with, less wet spots but I think the J50 throws just a little better. So I use both, because I have both. When I run out dont know which I will re order....I hate decisions!

Ok, I'm going to order some SB from Bill..candlewic and a few others to try. Now when burning the rustics, how much of a shell should you have? The last wick I tested in it was a L zinc, 4045 wax. I was getting apretty nice melt pool but it seemed like maybe it would have leaked thru the side so I blew it out.- Gonna light it up today. The LX seemed to small.

I fought the wet spots for about a year. I hate them, but its so true that customers dont notice them. Someone on here suggested a box lined with insulated board. A friend of mine made me one of those, its a pretty big, heavy box. But my candle room is colder than the rest of my house, so when I pour, I move them to the insulated box and leave them there for hours, they cool slowly and in a warmer environment, and that helped my wet spots a great deal. My candles are much better now. I may still get a few here and there, but nothing like they were before that box! Its cheap to make too. Maybe try one.

I see on mine a few places that the frosting did stick in the mold, no more fridge for me! Do you all pour your other layers at the same temp? When I did that first one, I tried to keep my wax around 150 for every pour. Is that right?

Ok, I finally made my first rustic and now I can't get it to burn very well. I need to order more wax and also some different wicks. I tried, so far in this rustic which is made of 4045 wax, 2T. stearic and scented Sea Breeze...LX16 didn't make a very big melt pool at all, pulled it out and tried LX20, not much difference and now I'm trying a Large Zinc. It's a 3" candle by the way. The zinc seems to be the best of these, but not good enough. Donita suggested square braid, now those come by the spool? I'm new to these pillars, so I have to order stuff to make my own wick? Is this correct? I'm trying to perfect these for next Christmas, I might make it...LOL TIA

That makes sense! I'll try that in time, right now I'm gonna just keep experimenting. But, the best advice I can give....Just jump in and try one, because then you can understand how the rustics work, until you try and its just not clear. I can see that now. Thanks all so much and I'm gonna keep at it. I like things that can be different and also ok to be different! These are fun!

That I am...hovering mother Tomorrow I will try one, in the morning and let it cool because I have to work so I won't be home to rush it! I tried an LX16 and didn't get a big enough melt pool so now I'm burning an LX20 and it doesn't seem right either. Don't know where to go from here! Probably have to order some other wicks. Thanks all!